Ganesh Chaturthi Regional Significance

Ganesh Chaturthi is a widely celebrated festival of India and is popularly known as Vinayaka Chaturthi. This festival celebrates the re birth of Lord Ganesh with a lot of fanfaronade throughout the nation. The Ganesh Chaturthi regional significance lies in the celebration of this festival in varied ways in different parts of India according to the customs, traditions and cultures prevailing in different states.

Ganesh Chaturthi regional significance explains the different methods of celebration in various states. The ten day festival is celebrated with fanfare in Mumbai and other cities of Maharashtra. The Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai attracts thousands of devotees during the festival. Months before the commencement of this festival, artisans put in great effort to construct clay idols of Ganesh.

The city comes to life with magnificent illumination, sound of slokas and the fervour of the slogan Ganapati Bappa Morya. The rituals like Pran Pratishtha, Shodashopachara are performed by the priests in Maharashtra. Pran Prathistha is the chanting of slokas to invoke the blessings of the lord. Shodashopachara is worshipping Ganesh in sixteen different ways. The festivities come to an end with the immersion of the idol in water. Anant Chaturdashi is the procession which carries lord Ganesha with a lot of pomp and exuberance throughout the streets of Mumbai. The delicacies of Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Maharashtra include Ukadiche or steamed Modak, Karanji, Puran Poli, Patholi etc.

Ganesh Chaturthi is popularly called Pillayar Chaturthi. On the fourth day, after the new moon appears in the month of Avani, this festival is celebrated with zest and vigour by the devotees of Tamil Nadu. The ritual of Kaliman Pillayar is observed with utmost devotion in which the clay idols are adorned with Bermuda grass known as 'asarukampul. Some temples in Tamil Nadu are even constructed with coconut. The delicacies of this festival includes Vella kozhukattai (rice parcels filled with coconut and jaggery), uppu kozhukattai (rice parcels with lentil filling) and so on. Ganesh Chaturthi regional significance lies in the fact that even within South India, celebrations in Goa, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are different.

Ganesh Chaturthi is popularly known as Lamboodhara Piranalu in Kerala. Chingam is the month of celebration of this festival here. The ritual of milk Abhishekam is practiced in this state. The city exhibits magnificence by flaunting colourful rangolis. The state grips with fervour of festivities which include dances, skits etc. Modak, vundrallu (steamed, coarsely-ground rice-flour balls), vadapappu (soaked moong lentils) are delicacies.

Ganesh Chaturthi is popularly known as Chavath and Parab in Goa. During this festival, women fast on the third day of the lunar month of Bhadrapada and worship Parvati and Lord Shiva. Sumptuous feasts takes place during this festival. Goans observe the ritual of worshipping Ganesh in the form of Patri (leaves). Celebrations in this state are very humble unlike Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh or Kerala. It is more of a homely than a state affair. Nevri is a very popular Ganesh Chaturthi delicacy in Goa, made of flour and stuffed with coconut, sugar etc.

Ganesh Chaturthi regional significance lies in the fact that this festival is celebrated in myriad ways throughout India based on the varied customs and traditions of different states. Nevertheless, the core essence of this festival remains the same; that is Lord Ganesha destroys everything that hinders the path to success and brings good fortune to all his devotees.